Deputy Director, power sector investment policy

Job summary

Our power system is transforming as we move towards a renewables-based system, and will need to grow significantly in future years as more of the economy is electrified. This creates several new policy challenges. As part of our response to these challenges, we are moving towards a more strategically planned approach to what investment occurs in new capacity where and when, so that it is better coordinated across our power system.

A new Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) is being developed which will provide a blueprint for what investment we want to see. However, this Plan will not in itself drive action on the ground. To achieve this, we also need to reform the different policy levers which affect these siting and investment decisions across the power system, so that we deliver the new Strategic Spatial Energy Plan efficiently and effectively.

This role leads our work to reform the different policy levers which affect siting and investment decisions across the power system. Our goal is to align these policy and investment levers behind the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan and strengthen our ability to strategically plan and co-ordinate the system we need. By reforming how these decisions on the siting of new investment are made, current estimates are that we could save £10-20bn for consumers over the 2030-50 period, equivalent to around £20-40 off the average annual household electricity bill.

This work is therefore a real opportunity to bear down on the long-term costs of our energy system and help make energy more affordable for all, which is a key Ministerial priority.

Job description

As Deputy Director, power sector investment policy, you will be responsible for:

• Leading our work to reform the different policy levers which affect siting and investment decisions across the power system, so that they are aligned with the SSEP. This includes decisions which will affect hundreds of £billions investment support for power generation and on network infrastructure, as well as cross-cutting levers such as spatial planning and locational charging.
• Leading HMG decision-making to shape how these levers need to be reformed to deliver the SSEP, working closely with the relevant policy teams across DESNZ, Ofgem and NESO who own or have an interest in the different levers. You will lead HMG decision-making on the trade-offs this presents across the power system, including how we ensure continued competition to keep costs down for consumers, and how we should take account of uncertainty. You will ensure these decisions are implemented across the different policy teams and organisations involved, including leading on some detailed policy design and implementation from within the Programme.

The role sits within the Reformed National Pricing Programme and is also responsible for some of our Programme-wide activities, such as stakeholder engagement, comms and briefing. As a senior leader within the Programme and the wider Directorate, you would also be expected to make a full contribution as a member of our senior leadership team, including by working collaboratively across boundaries and flexing resources in line with overall priorities, leading on elements of our local People Plan, and ensuring the Directorate remains a welcoming and inclusive place for everyone to work.

We encourage applications from candidates based in any of DESNZ’s Places for Growth locations as well as London.

Candidates should note that the Directorate has a well-established local L&D programme which receives positive feedback. Other development opportunities will depend on the individual, but the role offers good exposure to a range of policy, delivery and commercial issues.

Person specification

Skills, experience and qualifications (Essential)

Key skills to perform in this role effectively include:

Essential

• Team leadership. You will lead a team of 20+ staff, managing resources flexibly across your responsibilities, inspiring and empowering them to perform, providing continued opportunities for them to stretch and develop, and helping ensure a fun and supportive atmosphere;
• Setting strategic policy direction. You will need to exercise good judgement and take confident long-term decisions despite uncertainty or ambiguity, spot connections across different policy levers across the power system and ensure they are joined up, balance different risks and identify robust solutions to emerging market and policy issues, and demonstrate commercial awareness of business and investor incentives and behaviours;
• Working together. Strong collaboration and influencing skills will be essential as our work on Reformed National Pricing cuts across the whole of the power system, engaging many DESNZ policy teams, delivery partners such as Ofgem and NESO, and key external stakeholders;
• Policy delivery leadership. Ensuring that our emerging policy proposals can be implemented successfully by delivery partners, building collaborative relationships with partners while also holding them to account, and the ability to successfully deliver policy projects to timetables and so that they achieve their intended benefits

Desirable

• Prior knowledge of energy markets and/or energy policy would be helpful but is not essential for the role.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Leadership
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £86,000, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero contributes £24,914 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

Benefits

Whatever your role, we take your career and development seriously, and want to enable you to build a really successful career with the Department and wider Civil Service. It is crucial that our employees have the right skills to develop their careers and meet the challenges ahead. You’ll benefit from a wide range of training and development opportunities, regular performance and development reviews to ensure this development is ongoing.

As a Civil Service employee, you’ll be entitled to a large range of benefits. This includes:

25 days annual leave on entry, increasing on a sliding scale to 30 days after 5 years’ service. This is in addition to 8 public
holidays and one days leave for the King's birthday;

A competitive contributory pension scheme that you can enter as soon as you join where we will make a significant contribution to the cost of your pension; where your contributions come out of your salary before any tax is taken; and where your pension will continue to provide valuable benefits for you and your family if you are too ill to continue to work or die before you retire;

Flexible working patterns including part-time or term-time working and access to Flexible Working Schemes allowing you to vary your working day as long as you work your total hours;

Generous paid maternity and paternity leave which is notably more than the statutory minimum offered by many other employers;

Interest-free loans allowing you to spread the cost of an annual travel season ticket or a new bicycle;

Occupational sick pay.

Pension
Your pension is a valuable part of your total reward package where the employer makes a significant contribution to the cost of your pension.
Your contributions come out of your salary before any tax is taken. This means, if you pay tax, your take-home pay will not be reduced by the full amount of your contribution; and your pension will continue to provide valuable benefits for you and your family if you are too ill to continue to work or die before you retire.
For more information, visit the following link: www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk

Leave Allowance

Full time new entrants to the Civil Service and those Civil Servants on modernised terms and conditions will be entitled to 25 days leave increasing on a sliding scale to 30 days after 5 years’ service. In addition to this you are entitled to 8 public/bank holidays. The allowance is pro-rated for part-time staff. With competitive maternity, paternity and parental leave we also recognise the importance of a good work-life balance and offer flexible working and a family friendly approach to work. Civil Servants taking up appointment on promotion will adopt the modernised Civil Service terms and conditions which came in to effect from 1 July 2013. Existing Civil Servants appointed on level transfer will retain their existing terms and conditions.

Training and Development

The Department offers engaging jobs in work that really matters; jobs which have a direct impact on the quality of public services. Roles can offer great job satisfaction and there are many opportunities to develop and progress both within the Department and across the wider Civil Service.
We are committed to investing in our staff and offer a range of work based training and qualifications, coaching and mentoring opportunities and a guaranteed five days of learning a year.

Other Benefits

Any move to DESNZ from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may, however, be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare.

Determine your eligibility at: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Interest free season ticket and bicycle loans may be available.

Some sites also offer onsite facilities including fitness centres and staff canteens.

Office attendance

The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period. Senior Civil Servant (SCS) staff are expected to aim for closer to 60% of the time at an office or non-home based location over the accounting period.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

How to apply

To apply for this post please follow the instructions on the CS Jobs website by no later than 23:55 Monday 28th September 2026. As part of the application process you are asked to complete the following:

1.A CV setting out your career history, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role, relevant achievements in recent posts, together with reasons for any gaps within the last two years.

2.A Statement of Suitability (no more than 1000 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria in the person specification.

3.Shortlisted candidates will be invited to undertake an assessment as part of this recruitment prior to a final interview panel:

• A staff engagement exercise: a structured exercise which involves shortlisted candidates facilitating a discussion with a selection of staff from the Department on a given topic.

These assessments will not result in a “pass” or “fail” decision. Rather, they are designed to support the panel’s decision making and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview.

4.Final Interview

Candidates may choose to attend their interview face-to-face in London or virtually.

Overview of the Process

Government Recruitment Service will acknowledge your application and advise you of the outcome of the sift meeting. Depending on the number of applications received there may be a second stage sift.

Applications will be sifted to select those demonstrating the best fit with the post against the criteria set out in the person specification. Please ensure you keep this in mind when writing your CV and supporting statement.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

Arrangements for interview

The final selection panel interview will be held w/c 2nd November 2026, in person in London.

If candidates are required to prepare a presentation for their interview, they will be given at least one week’s notice of the subject.

Expenses incurred by candidates during the recruitment process will not be reimbursed by the Department except in exceptional circumstances and only when agreed in advance.

Indicative Timeline

Please note that these dates are only indicative at this stage and could be subject to change. If you are unable to meet these timeframes, please let us know by contacting scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. Please ensure you quote the job title and reference number in your email.

Candidates are asked to note the timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process. The anticipated timetable is as follows:

Advert Closing Date – 23:55 Monday 28th September 2026

Shortlist Announcement – From 6th October 2026

Assessments – W/C 12th October 2026

Interviews – W/C 2nd November 2026

Reserve lists

If we receive applications from more suitable candidates than we have vacancies for at this time, we may hold suitable applicants on a reserve list for 12 months, and future vacancies in the Civil Service requiring the same skills and experience could be offered to candidates on the reserve list without a new competition.

Civil Service Commission

Selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit, on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles.

In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles, our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of appointment on the basis of merit by fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance you should contact; scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission at:

Civil Service Commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road SW1A 2HQ. www.civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk

info@csc.gov.uk.

Alternative Formats

If you wish to receive a hard copy of the information, or in an alternative format e.g. Audio, Braille or large font then please contact:

scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

If you are unable to complete your application online, and need assistance, we may be able to put a reasonable adjustment in place to help.

If this is the case, please contact us at: scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk and we will look into this situation for you.

Please note we are unable to accept any applications after the closing date, if you require a reasonable adjustment, please let us know prior to the closing date.

Further Information

If you have any questions about applying for this role or want to discuss the role further with the vacancy holder, please contact:

scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Please ensure you quote the job title and reference number in your email.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.

As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : SCS Recruitment Team
• Email : scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the recruitment principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance desnzresourcing.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact-us/

Attachments

2026.09.07 Deputy Director, power sector investment policy Final Candidate Info Pack 478818 Opens in new window (pdf, 1070kB)478818- Deputy Director, power sector investment policy – DESNZ - Final candidate pack Accessibility Pack (1) Opens in new window (docx, 1790kB)